The Best Christmas Gift
by Aulophobic Clarinetist
Summary: Christmas with the marauders. James gives Lily the best Christmas gift... fluff
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own it!

Merry Christmas!

It was the twenty third of December, two months after the Marauders' seventh year. Lily and James had begun dating during seventh year and she had even practically become a Marauder herself from spending so much time with them. Lily had her own flat on the outskirts of London. Remus had a little flat near the bookstore he worked at. Sirius moved often, but at this time, he was living with James until he found a new place. James was living in his parents' guest house next to their manor. Lily unlocked her door to be greeted by her tabby cat, Merlin, as she arrived home later than planned from her Healer job at St. Mungo's. As she walked in, put down her keys and purse, and took off her shoes, she glanced at the clock. 9:00. She sighed. She had been working extended hours because of the war, but starting tomorrow, her break began. Lily strode over to her answering machine that Remus had given her as a moving-in present after she had given each of the Marauders a telephone and taught them how to use it.

"Four new messages," it said as she pushed the button. "First new message. Today. 7:13 p.m."

"Hey, Lils. Just wondering if you were off yet. I'm an Auror and I get off work before you. Anyway. Thanks for the cookies! Sirius ate most of them. You know how he is. Call me back. I'll be up 'til at least midnight. Sirius is lecturing me about his new girlfriend. Save me. Bye"

She made a mental note to call James once her messages ended.

"Second message. Today. 7:32 p.m."

"LILYKINS!!!" screamed Sirius's voice, "I loved the cookies you sent! They were so good! So… what did you get me for Christmas?" he asked

"SIRIUS!" James yelled in the background, "Why did you eat the last cookie?!"

"Erm… Gotta go, Lilykins. See you later."

Lily couldn't help but laugh at their childish antics. She would just have to make them some more cookies.

"Third message. Today. 8:00 p.m."

"Hello, Lily. It's Remus. I was just calling to wish you a Happy Christmas. Hope to see you soon! Please call back!"

"Fourth message. Today. 8:52 p.m."

"Hey, Lils. Still wondering where you are. I'm going to send a search party if you don't call before 9:15. I really will. Call us!" said James' voice.

She looked at the clock once more. 9:13.

Suddenly an idea popped into her head.

"_Bitelefonus_." She said the spell that let you call two people at once.

"James. Remus." She told the phone. It rang once.

"Hello?" James asked.

"Hey, James. Put me on speakerphone for Sirius to hear too."

"Hello?"

"Hey Remus!"

"MOONY!"

"Hello, Lily. Prongs." He replied

"MOONY!!" shrieked Sirius

"Padfoot." He greeted.

"Ok. Hi everyone. What are you all doing on Christmas Eve?" she asked

"Nothing"

"Sirius is buying me cookies." James said pointedly

"No I'm not! Nothing as well."

"Great!" Lily said, excited.

"Great?" asked Remus.

"Yes. Do you all want to come here for the weekend of Christmas and have a party?" she asked.

"Sounds wonderful!"

"Yes!"

"Whoooo hoooo!! PAR-TAY!!" Sirius yelled.

"Wow, Sirius. Ok, come around 5:00. We'll have an early dinner at about six and open presents and yes, eat cookies. I'll make sure there are enough!"

"Great, see you then!"

"COOKIES!" yelled James.

"COOKIES!!!!!" Sirius screamed.

"Ok. Bye!" Lily hung up.

"Moony!"

"Yes?"

"Come to Hogsmeade tomorrow. I need help Christmas shopping. "

"Sure, James. 'Night."

"'Night."

After scouring Hogsmeade for the perfect gifts, the Marauders met up in the Three Broomsticks.

James was the firs to arrive.

"Hey Remus! Over here!" James called from a table by the fire.

"Hi James. What did you get?"

"Well, you know the thing for Lily. I won't tell you what I got for you. I bought Sirius 'The Ultimate Pranking Kit' form Zonko's. You?"

"For Sirius, a book on Quidditch. For you, you'll see. For Lily, well, she was hard. She's already read every book so I bought her a scarf." He held out an emerald colored, warm looking scarf.

"Will she like it?" asked Remus tentatively.

"She'll love it! SIRIUS!" he exclaimed as Sirius had just entered.

"Moony! Prongsie! Look what I got Lily: Disappearing Ink! Isn't that cool!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"Um…. What can you do with disappearing ink?" asked Remus logically.

"Well, it shows up with a spell." He answered like it was the most obvious thing ever.

Lily arrived home after a day of shopping for the Marauders' Christmas presents. It was almost five o clock. She wrapped the gifts and levitated them under her tree. All of a sudden, she heard a thump outside then her doorbell rang. She assumed it was Remus who arrived first, he was always on time. She turned the doorknob and was in for a huge surprise.

"DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY! FA LA LA LA LAA LA LA LA LAA! TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY! FA LA LA LA LAA LA LA LA LAA! DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL! FA LA LAA LA LA LAA LA LA LAA! TROLL THE ANCIENT YULETIDE CAROL! FA LA LA LA LAA LA LA LA LA!" The Marauders sang/ attempted to sing/ bellowed and handed a huge wreath to Lily. She tried to stifle her laughter as she let the three Marauders into her house.

"Happy Christmas!"

"I smell cookies!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Yes, they're almost done," laughed Lily, "I can't believe you all got here on time!"

She helped bring their suitcases and wrapped presents into her flat.

"There are two beds in my guestroom and one of you can sleep on the couch." Lily showed them their rooms.

"Nice pad, _Evans_," replied Sirius, "I get the couch."

"Oh, you better have gotten me something nice for that, Black!? She pretended to get angry.

After eating a Christmas Dinner (of cookies in Sirius's case), they proceeded outside because the marauders wanted to play in the snow.

"Let's have a snowball fight! Lilykins and Moony against Prongsie and me!" Sirius announced.

They ran to opposite sides of her yard and made a fort and dozens of snowballs.

"Get hit five times and you're out!" James bellowed, "GO!"

Snowballs flew in every different direction. Sirius had gotten hit thrice and James twice. Remus and Lily had only been hit once each. They had a great strategy… So far…

"Prongs. We'll run over there, you pick up Lily as hostage while I pelt Moony with snowballs. We can get one of them at a time." Sirius planned.

"That has got to be one of the most logical things you have ever said. On the count of three. 1….2….3!"

The two Marauders ran toward the enemy fort. James picked Lily up bridal style and bolted back to the fort.

"HELP! REMUS! AAAAAHH!!!" she screamed and smashed a snowball into James' hair.

"Hey! That's cold!" he replied as he put her down behind their fort, "you're a hostage."

Meanwhile, Sirius was in a battle to the death with Remus. Snowballs were flying so fast until finally a victory yell came form Sirius. He ran back, four snowballs in his hands. Simultaneously, he threw them at Lily as she threw two at him. One of each of theirs crashed and fell. Lily was hit with three and Sirius was hit with one. They each could be hit once. The each had one snowball. Lily faked a throw and Sirius really did. She ducked and threw hers. It hit him right in the chest. James decided to retaliate and throw snow at Lily for revenge but was hit with two. One left each. Lily got up and ran. James threw snow after her and chased her around. Finally he tackled her to the ground, picked up some snow.

"Surrender." He said

"Never!" she replied. She jumped out of his grasp and ran, grabbing snow and throwing it back at him. His snowball hit her at the same time hers hit him.

"Tie!" announced Remus.

"Noooooooooooo!" Sirius fell to his knees, head in his hands.

"Present time!" shrieked Sirius.

"Er- don't you want to wait until tomorrow morning?" asked James.

"Um… well, mine can't wait."

"Why, because it'll explode or something?" James sarcastically asked.

"Erm…" Sirius began.

"We better open them." Said Lily.

She looked under the tree and felt a twinge of hurt as she didn't see a present for her from James. Then she felt guilty for even thinking only about getting things on Christmas. She picked up hers to each marauder.

"Open them!" she smiled.

Sirius and James ripped the paper excitedly. Remus carefully opened his gift. Remus received a wand cleaning and polishing kit. Sirius received a broomstick cleaning and polishing kit (he was a beater for the Chudley Cannons). James received a sweater which he pulled on over his T-shirt right away.

"Thanks, Lily!" chorused the Marauders and James kissed Lily.

After a few minutes of unwrapping presents, paper everywhere, Sirius had a Quidditch book from Remus and the 'Ultimate Pranking Kit' from James. Remus had an expandable bookshelf from James and a Chudley Cannons book from Sirius. James had a basket of Honeyduke's candy from Sirius and a book "the Top 10 Places to Find Death Eaters" from Remus. Lily had disappearing ink from Sirius and emerald green scarf form Remus.

"Open mine next, Lily!" said James.

"But James, there aren't any presents left." She tried not to sound disappointed.

"That's because it's on the tree. "

Lily turned around and sure enough, there was a little present shaped velvet box ornament. She whirled around to face James. He took the little box and got down on one knee. Lily gasped.

"Will you marry me, Lily?" he asked. She was frozen for a moment.

"Yes!" she jumped on him, their lips crashing together.

Later that night, Lily sighed. This was the best Christmas gift.

So I was in the holiday spirit and wrote this of the top of my head

Please R&R!

A.C.


	2. Author's Note

My computer wouldn't let me fix it but in the first paragraph it was supposed to be 2 YEARS not 2 months. Sorry.

And my page dividers disappeared.

Sorry again

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

AULOPHOBIC CLARINETIST


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